The Honor-Shame Conference, June 8–10, 2020 at Wheaton College is gathering numerous practitioners and scholars to explore how honor and shame influence the gospel, the Church, and various disciplines, including theology, missiology, pastoral ministry, and counseling. The seven plenary presenters are John M. G. …

Honor-Shame Conference—Speakers and Opportunities Read more »

Let’s start with the obvious—patronage has a P.R. problem. For many people, patronage seems like nepotism, corruption, colonialism, and the mafia! The phrase “biblical patronage” sounds like an oxymoron. Although patron-client relationships are often corrupted and broken, I propose that …

How to Make Patronage “Biblical” Read more »

Patronage frustrates many people, especially Westerners. Why is patronage so frustrating? Fundamental cultural differences between patronage and Western economics create an inevitable cultural clash. Each cultural system is like a rulebook for playing a board game. Each player assumes others will …

$$ Infographic: 7 Differences in Global Cultures Read more »

Here is a gospel narrative of salvation-history from a patron-client framework. This short summary summarizes Chapters 7–9 of my book Ministering in Patronage Cultures, where I develop a biblical theology of God, sin, and salvation in light of patronage. Used …

The Gospel According to Patronage: A Summary Read more »

My latest book Ministering in Patronage Cultures: Biblical Models and Missional Implications is now available at Amazon and IVPress.com. This book develops a biblical and missional view of patron-client relationships. As I discuss honor-shame cultures with other Christians, their questions …

New Book: Ministering in Patronage Cultures Read more »